Batteries should be recycled. Some batteries contain toxic metals, such as cadmium, lead or mercury, which pose a threat to human health and the environment when batteries are improperly disposed.
Recycling batteries protects the environment by ensuring that heavy metals don’t pollute our air, land and water. Recycling also conserves resources because the metals recovered from batteries are used to make new products.
CFLs (compact fluorescent bulbs) are not accepted in battery drop-off containers. CFLs can be properly disposed of at the county’s drop-off facilities in Brooklyn Park and Bloomington.
Batteries are accepted from households only; batteries from businesses are not accepted — for drop-off information see our website.
Hennepin County accepts all types of household batteries at the following locations:
- Battery drop-off containers at certain libraries, city halls, community centers and other sites throughout the county
- County drop-off facilities
- The Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation lists additional drop-off sites for rechargeable batteries.
- Minneapolis solid waste and recycling customers can set out household batteries on your recycling day. Place batteries in a clear plastic bag on top or inside your recycling bin.
- Battery drop-off containers
For a complete list of drop-off sites by city go to here. Call first to make sure the site still has a battery recycling container.
This information was provided by Hennepin County Environment and Energy, Environmental Education & Outreach.
